Dungeons & Dragons

Stonebrook & Asylum

The duo enter the xenophobic city of Stonebrook in search of Karug, Zaburk's father. There is a Warlock's Enclave hidden in this city.

Sergeant Miller Sean question the duo and grant entrance into the asylum for a brief visit as well as an extension to stay in town for one day.

Strugg and his three Rottweiler dogs clad in heavy armor attack after Strugg feels Zaburk and Pickles is snooping too much in the whereabouts of Karug. He doesn't wish for the secret to get out to the public of what they are doing in the asylum. The patients are released and break out through the front door, terrorizing the townfolk. A woman dressed in a white tunic comes out of a concealed door in the back of the lobby; behind the patron Pickles saw being dragged from the Bearded Blade is behind her, a tube attached to his head pulsating as it sucks. A contraption is excreting brain matter and liquefying it into healing potions (8 on the shelf, 2d8, but clouds critical thinking for 8 hours, -1 on all INT & WIS based skill checks). Some townsfolk know but most don't, but they all buy them from the apothecary for longevity of health. Apothecary named Benjamin Rutherford has business ties with the asylum.

While the patients are causing havoc among the town, the soldiers begin slaying them one by one in an effort to protect the defenseless citizens. After a few minutes, a loud echoing distorted voice comes from somewhere, everywhere, saying "Administer Code 14." All guards then switching tactics and sheath their weapons, attempting to use brute force to tackle and apprehend the patients instead. One by one they are brought back into the asylum and locked back up. If questioned about what is the code, the guards say "It is an old law that prohibits slaying of asylum patients." But no one knows where the voice comes from other than The Law as they refer to him. (DM Note: Voice is Priest Du'phar. He is tied to the asylum by business as well as the apothecary; knows of the Mind Flayers business. Caretaker who infects victim later on is hired by Du'phar so potions are bought from either Du'phar or the apothecary).

Karug was sought after by a group of Mind Flayers seeking to regain the map he stole from them years ago. In exchange and as a reward to the owners of the asylum for giving up the patient without question, they grant the knowledge of extracting life essence from patients and decanter into a tonic healing potion for the people for extended life.

The son of the Temple of Wandering God priest, Du'phar, knows of Karug's location and a safe way past the Hill Giants of Valashra if the duo fulfills a task. He wishes to be included in his ailing father's will, and the duo is asked to switch with a forged document. It resides in the priest's resting chambers on the top floor of the temple.

Jeremiah, the priest's son, gives options of infiltrating the temple.

1. They can offer their services to the temple which will require them to visit a sick person at their home who cannot get out and heal them. The person is highly contagious and riddled with a disease. The caretaker is responsible for infecting the victim, and the duo finds three clues: A) the house has a well kept garden on the side that has three plants that could be mixed to make a person vulnerable to diseases, B) flower pot has liquid whose vapors can be infectious, C) herbal tea beside the bed and white caking around the nose. Caretaker is within the temple (Du'phar isn't aware of this). Grants them membership of the Temple as Acolyte Initiatives.

2. Sneak in at night. Jeremiah can provide a lockpick to get into the building. Once inside, they will have to do a Skill Challenge to get to the room.

3. Intimidation & Force – Most alcolytes are pushovers and can be intimidated easily (according to Jeremiah, which is false). They will all attack with magic daggers and scimitars. Upstairs is a tiger that will also attack. Du'phar will beg them to stop the bloodshed and demand to hear their reason of being there. If confessed, he offers free healing, healing potions, and any identifying of items if they murder Jeremiah instead.

If Duo is taken down, they awaken in a strange land and must discover the truth that they are sedated at the asylum, the projects imbedded in their minds. They on the Plateau of Leng where the satyr "Men of Leng" sail black ships trading strange, flawless rubies and exotic goods for mortal slaves. It is a taste of what's yet to come when they journey to the Dreamlands in search of a Rakshasa.

To get out of the Dreamlands, they must locate Nazruel who is an Oracle and Sorcerer with the power to awaken them. As payment, they must give up a Life Essence (1 HD) or their most prized possession. Otherwise, they will have to exit the Dreamlands by sneaking onto one of the Leng ships that sales to Zatra through a portal. They may be discovered and held prisoner.